Demonas

Family (5)

Altair took her eyes off of the window and slowly turned back to look at him.

“Please enlighten me. Why are you interested in Estarrot?”

“You can’t possibly forget about them huh… Fine, I won’t say this twice, so listen. carefully”

Rowan closed his eyes as if trying to select the correct words to say, before opening his mouth with his hands tightly clenching his legs.

“I don’t know how much you can understand, considering your age, but I can’t help but explain the imperial family to you. You probably know about Alzeta II, the blood crazy emperor.”

“You mean the lunatic emperor who betrayed his mother and wives…?”

Alzetta II was a tyrant more than a century ago but he is notorious enough that even children on the streets know about him.

There were many fairy tales and plays that were adapted from his true stories, so there was nothing more to be said that Altair didn’t already know.

“Yes. From his earliest days, the family of La Cresche lost public sentiment after a series of misrules. That was a time in which the empire was chaotic inside and out. Some local aristocrats even rose up and started calling for independence.

The Duke of Chernobog at that time, head of the nobles, filled the void left behind by the imperial family due to their loss in authority, led the state administration. Without the hard work of our ancestors, the empire would have collapsed instantly. It was from Rapadin I reign onwards that the empire started to stabilise.”

“His Majesty…Rapadin I.”

“Yes, he was an unparalleled monarch. But the vast majority of aristocrats still remember the dark past so they continue to follow Chernobog rather than the imperial family.

Rapadin II, who led state affairs as a crown prince at that time, must have been worried about the already hardened structure. He firmly believed that the imperial family had become Chernobog’s puppet.”

“The confrontation with the imperial family, wasn’t it better after your father married his mother?”

“Somewhat, but that wasn’t enough. The Emperor wasn’t satisfied standing beside the Chernobogs, he always wanted to reign supreme.”

Not surprisingly, as soon as Rapadin II ascended the throne, he stood up against our family. But even during his reign, the imperial family still wasn’t able to overpower Chernobog. So instead…”

He paused for a moment as if to say something. Altair said with a calm expression.

“It’s alright, father. Please tell me.”

“…He was relentlessly trying to assassinate me by riling up Arsene Estarrot.”

Upon the mention of an unexpected character, Altair’s face instantly distorted with consternation.

“The Count…Father? I didn’t know that. How did you-“

“Altair, it’s only natural that you’re unaware of that. Me and Elena didn’t want you to grow up feeling threatened as if there were a knife at your throat.”

After the firm answer, there was a heavy silence. Now, it was already dark outside.

Only the dim light fuelled by magic lit up the carriage and illuminated Altair’s hardened face.

“Did mother suffer because of him too…?”

Momentary silence. Soon, the tired, cracked voice returned.

“…was poisoned. In spite of being on high alert, I still wasn’t able to protect her.”

My heart tightened coldly. I took in a deep breath, trying hard to suppress my stomach which was threatening to spill all its contents into the carriage.

In the past, Altair was the sole heir of the family. Because I was still young and untrained, I didn’t know much about the family that I was going to succeed.

Many had gotten together to feed her false information. At first, she didn’t believe them, but eventually she gave in.

‘Everyone said that my mother died of an illness, and my father of an accident.’

Was Ahin Estarrot aware of the truth too?

She closed her eyes in distress, unable to ask him about the past which had already been erased from his memories.

Rowan was looking out the window and the barely visible sun as night approached before continuing.

“As you probably know, Estarrot’s men have been blindly following imperial orders since Alzetta II’s reign.

How am I supposed to tolerate that? Especially when you eventually succeed the Chernobog family due to you being the sole heir and have to butt heads with Estarrot?”

Finally, the carriage reached the Chernobog estate as it slowed down and stopped.

Being the first to get off the carriage, Rowan reached out his hands.

“… I’m sorry for having to tell you such a heavy story when you’re still young. If possible, I’d originally wanted to take care of everything by myself.”

“No, father. I’m thankful you were able to explain and share the story with me.”

She answered back, gripping his hands tightly, reassuring him.

Getting off the carriage, she couldn’t help but admire the snow white coloured mansion. Especially the huge white lion statue at its entrance.

As if they’d received a notice in advance, the family’s servants and knights were lined up from the front gate to greet the two masters that had just returned.

“Welcome back, my Lord. And the young miss.”

The old butler, who was standing in front, politely greeted. Rowan replied with a small nod.

‘Come to think of it, who were the ones who saved me in my past life?’

All the faces that I remember were blurry.

Instead of being surrounded by people who would tell her the truth, the relatives brought by the imperial family were filled with people who would only whisper words that would suit the imperial family’s taste and benefit themselves instead of her.’

This is her home. These are the people she will protect.

With that, she engraved the faces of those that stood before her into her memory.

***

Back in her room, Altair took out her now broken rapier and gently placed it back at her bedside table.

A sword that was cut in two by Arsene Estarrot’s hand. And the parents who were beaten by him.

‘Maybe everything was fabricated by the Emperor and Estarrot. Was that why I wasn’t able to find any evidence of the death of my parents…’

After her father’s sudden death, the Emperor had called for Altair to have an audience with him…

[ I’m sorry to hear about the Duke. However, men who need to live must continue to live. Nevertheless, I hope I will be able to strengthen our relationship, between the Imperial family and the Chernobog in the future…

So, why don’t you get engaged to the Crown Prince? He is able to help you, who is still young and immature, settle down comfortably. ]

When I first heard that, it felt as if my whole world was crumbling between my fingertips and everything was falling apart.

The fact that Chernobog’s sole heir was soon to be engaged to the Crown Prince meant that the family was about to be absorbed into and dominated by the imperial family soon.

However, Altair, at that point of time, had not enough power to be able to reject the offer.

After the semi-forced engagement between the imperial family and Chernobog, various aristocratic factions have either disbanded or disappeared. Considering a significant anti-imperialist family was about to be married to the imperial family.

After the Chernobog house, which should have been the main power and pillar, became the future empress, other aristocrats who opposed the decision were not able to do anything but remain silent and wag their tails obediently.

Finally, the emperor had the absolute power that he had longed for.

‘It must’ve gone all according to their plan. After making me an orphan with no one to rely on, I turned to Estarrot in search for support and stability, playing right into the imperial family’s hand. I wasn’t aware of what was happening around me, so I was able to move according to their plans. Luckily, this lead to there being no further assassination attempts…’

It was purely due to the outbreak of war that she was able to continue as Duchess of Chernobog instead of becoming the empress.

The situation in the empire was not relaxed enough to turn her, the most capable commander after the death of the predecessor Count Estarrot, as a mistress of the empire.

She closed her eyes, suppressing her now rising anger.

‘It’s all right. Everything hasn’t happened yet. I am still able to change the future.’

Her blue eyes shone in the dark room.

The Devil In The Cage (1)

The morning after.

Altair just learnt for the first time that her father’s face could be so colourful.

Rowan Chernogbog unexpectedly ran into her whilst she was training alone in the training centre.

Then, quickly glancing at Altair with a stiff expression, Rowan stopped and turned to face her.

“The Crown Prince has been asking for you to join the fencing class since dawn. This must be the work of Arsene. He must’ve been running around yapping about all that has happened to the imperial family.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince…?”

When that unexpected name was mentioned, Altair’s eyes widened.

“Yes. But before I could even respond, Arsene already sent a reply saying that you accepted the visit.”

“Ah…”

Recognising the extent of the situation quickly, she unintentionally gasped at where she stood.

It was supposed to be cancelled. Count Estarrot just agreed to my attendance for a swordsmanship class that will not even happen.

However, it will be obvious which side the Crown Prince will trust if Chernobog were to deny the letter late.

‘The refusal to attend, given that they had originally accepted makes it seem as though they were trying to conceal information about the sole heir of the household.’

This was a very troublesome situation for my father, but for me, this is a god-sent opportunity.

‘…Huh. The Crown Prince is helping me with this…?’

Not long after, she wiped her chest whilst fiddling with the white lion uniform which her father had given to her after taking her measurements.

Although she knew that Count Estarrot was the enemy of her mother and a threat to her father, that didn’t change her mind in pursuing her goal.

Still, she was going to learn swordsmanship from the Count and secretly go to meet with the lonely Ahin.

Of course, there was a promise I shared with Ahin in my previous life, more than anything I-

‘The neglected child is innocent.’

Moreover, the fencing class is a perfect opportunity to analyse the Count’s swordsmanship.

Father’s assassination is scheduled half a year later.

To be able to start preparing for the fight, there is no better chance to train than facing him directly.

Then, my father asked in a worried tone.

“Altair, are you really sure you want to go to Estarrot? It’s alright if you don’t want too, after all it’ll be tough and I don’t want you to push yourself too much.”

“I’ll be going. I’ll be fine so please let me go.”

Upon facing her eyes which are burning with determination, he was at a loss for words. Soon, he gave in.

“…Ha. Yeah I should’ve known you’d say that. I really didn’t want to let you go but just make sure you’re safe there and you better come back home filled with confidence.”

“Thank you, father.”

“…Are you really sure you’ll be okay? Your opponent will be Arsene Estarrot after all. If he is ordered by the imperial family, he’ll do whatever he can to hurt you to accomplish that order.”

“Thanks for the concern, but do you really think I’ll be that easy to deal with?”

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Altair asked with both hands on her waist and one of her eyebrows raised.

Only then did Rowan laugh as he ruffled her hair and said,

“No, of course not. Rather, you’d end up breaking one of Arsene’s ribs before he does anything.”

“I’ll pay you back for all the support you’ve been giving me.”

As she smiled confidently, Rowan nodded slightly a couple of times before leaving the field.